You've always headed west for summer vacation because it doesn't get better than lazy days spent on the water. But what if you could get all the perks of a lake vacation, including that laid-back cottage lifestyle, without leaving your neighbourhood?

The Calgary region's two newest lake communities – Harmony in Springbank and southeast Calgary's Mahogany – are both four-season, amenity-rich neighbourhoods built around water.

A pretty hamlet to the south of Calgary, Heritage Pointe offers the beauty and serenity of country living just minutes from the action of the big city.

Avi Urban, the multi-family arm of award-winning builder Homes by Avi, has recently launched two innovative projects in Calgary's new northern community of Livingston.

If you want to have a Calgary community that outpaces all others in population growth, with lots of children and young families, it helps to have a lake.

A growing family often means it's time to grow the home as well – a space that once seemed roomy and open often feels cramped once a little one is running around.

Depending on your priorities, it might also mean the time has come to relocate from an inner-city area to a quieter, family-focused community in the suburbs. If you're struggling to pick a new neighbourhood to call home, or have no idea where to even start looking, these are Calgary's top-10 communities for young families (based on percentage of population 14 years old and under):

Designed for those who enjoy an active lifestyle, the master-planned community of Carrington in Calgary's northwest features an abundance of green space, along with a sleek architectural presence defined by European design.

City council's recent approval of 14 new suburban communities is a vote of confidence in Calgary's future.

"It is an overall good news story," said Matthew Sheldrake, City of Calgary growth strategies and geo-demographics co-ordinator, of the communities approved in July.

Many Calgarians benefit from facilities and programs in their communities that are looked after by a local homeowners' association (HOA) or residents' association (RA).